Cleaning machine for cuffs of trousers and the like



March 16, 1943. W C;- GLOVER, JR v 2,313,935

CLEANING MACHINE FOR CUFFS OF TROUSERS AND THE LIKE Filed` Feb. 13, 1941Patented Mar. 16, 1943 lorrics CLEANING MACHINE FOR CUFFS OF TROUSERSAND* THE LIKE Application February 13 1941, Serial No. 378,724

2 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaning machines particularly for removingaccumulations of dust, dirt and the like from the cuffs of trousers,pockets of clothing, and similar articles.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter which is efficient and convenient to operate.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a nozzle shaped so thatportions thereof will clean under the tack stitching of cuifs and otherrelatively inaccessible places; to provide a nozzle with teeth adaptedto loosen the dirt and lint that tends to cling to the fabric; and toprovide the machine with means for effecting suction through the nozzlefor withdrawing and depositing the accumulations into a bag or containerforming a part of the machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensiveconstruction wherein the nozzle, suction pipe, and motor form a unitwith the cover for the bag.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, ashereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure, thepreferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a cleaning inachine embodying thefeatures of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the upper portion of the machine,particularly illustrating the suction nozzle and the unit mountingthereof with the fan, motor, and bag cover.

Fig, 3 is a similar section taken at right angles to the section shownin Fig. 2, with parts broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary View of the nozzle.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

l designates a cleaning machine constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, and which includes a base 2 supporting a stand 3carrying a nozzle and suction fan assembly 4 on its up er end. The stand3 is preferably formed of foraminated sheet metal which, in theillustrated instance, is rolled to cylindrical form for providing aninner bag retaining chamber 5. Sleeved within the upper end of the standis a collar ii having an inwardly extending annular flange l encirclingthe bag opening The upper face of the ange is substantially flat to forma cover seat 9, and the inner marginal edge is provided with acountersunk, annular shoulder lll for supportingly engaging the rim Ilof a bag l2,

later described. The collar is also provided on the exterior sidethereof with a bead I3 which seats upon the upper edge la of the stand,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The collar thus described is suitablysecured, for example, by draw-bolts which clamp the stand between thecollar and base 2.

The bag i2 is preferably formed of fabric having sufficient closeness ofweave to retain dust, lint, etc., while being sufficiently porous toallow passage of air therethrough. The bag may be of cylindrical formand has a hem l5 at its upper end carrying a hoop Iii that provides therim referred to above. When the rim seats upon the shoulder, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3, the bag is suspended within the stand 3. The bagpreferably extends substantially to the bottom of the stand so as toprovide maximum capacity and thereby lengthen the periods between whichthe bag must be emptied.

Seated upon the collar 6 is a cover ll' having a dome-shaped top I8 andaperipheral flange i9 for engaging the seat 9. rl"he cover also includesan inner, annular flange or rib 20 which seats on the rim Il of the bagand clamps it against the shoulder l to provide a dust-tight joint.Formed integrally with the cover is a fan housing 2l carrying a motor 22on one side thereof and a suction nozzle 23 on the other. The motor 22includes an armature shaft 24 projecting into the fan housing andcarrying an impeller 25. The fan housing has an inlet 25 at the centerthereof, opposite the motor, and a circumferential discharge Z'i havingconnection with the interior of the bag through an opening 23 in thecover.

The nozzle 23 comprises a hollow body 29 forming an interior duct 3i)connected with the inlet or suction opening 26 of the fan housing. Theupper end of the body carries a substantially fan-shaped head 3lincluding upwardly converge ing sides 32-33 and outwardly and upwardlyextending curved ends 343-35 forming a substantially arcuate opening 3Btherebetween having connection with the duct til. Extending across theopening is a plurality of upwardly projecting guards or teeth 31, spacedapart to provide a series of passagewayso to the duct 3i). The teeth 3lare of substantially triangular shape and have flat faces 39 and f-iextending from the plane of the opening and converging in slightlyrounded tips el. 'Ihe transverse faces of the teeth are substantially atand form relatively sharp corners l2 with the inclined faces 39 and 40to provide scrapers for dislodging dust and lint when the cuff of a pairof trousers, or the like, is moved thereacross.

Attention is particularly directed to the laterally projecting ends 43and 44 0f the nozzle which are formed by the curved ends 34 and 35, asthese projections provide for a maximum length nozzle and allow forcleaning under the tack stitch a of the cuil b of trousers and otherinaccessible places, such as the corners of pockets and the like.

The cover is secured in position by a thumb nut 45 and a stud bolt 45,having threaded stems 41 and 48 which extend through openings 49 and 5Hin the cover and into threaded sockets 5I and 52 of the collar flange 1.The threaded stern for the nut 45 has a reduced portion 53 forming ashoulder 54 with the threaded end thereof, and

the opening 49 which receives the stem 41 has` is controlled by a switch59 carried by the motor D housing.

In using the machine constructed and assembled as described, the motor22 is energized to eifect rotation of the fan or impeller 25 which drawsair through the passageways between the teeth and discharges it into thebag. The culi of the trousers is passed over the teeth of the nozzle, asshown in dotted lines Fig. 4, and drawn downwardly s0 that the tips ofthe teeth closely engage in the crease and inner surfaces of the cui.The cuff is then drawn laterally across the teeth, in the longitudinaldirection of the opening 35, so that the edges thereof remove the lintand dirt tending to cling to the cuff. Usually the cuis are secured bytack stitches arranged on the opposite sides thereof. For this reasonthe cuff will be moved over the nozzle between the tacks at one sidewith the tacks passing under the projecting ends 43 and 44 of the nozzleso that a portion thereof passes under the tacks and enters the spacethereunder to dislodge and remove the accumulations. When one side ofthe cuff is cleaned, the cuff is removed and the opposite side appliedin a similar manner. The dust, dirt and other material is dislodged bythe teeth as the cuis are drawn thereacross and are drawn by suction ofthe fan between the passageways 38 and into the duct 30 for discharge bythe fan into the bag.

When it is necessary to remove the bag for emptying the contents, thethumb nut 45 is loosened and backed off from the threaded socket 5l ofthe collar 6 so that the enlarged threaded end of the stud 41 enters theenlarged portion of the opening 49. In this position the cone end 56will clear the flange 1 so that upon loosening of the thumb nut 46 thecover may be swung laterally to permit removal of the bag l2. When thebag i2 is emptied and reinserted, the cover is returned to its positionon the collar. As soon as the cone end enters the conical counterbore51, the stern will automatically center with the threaded socket 5i,whereupon the nut 45 is turned to screw the stem thereinto, then whenthe nut 46 is retightened the cover is clamped to the collar forretaining the bag and establishing a dust-tight joint therebetween.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that I have provided a cleaning deviceof simple and inexpensive construction, and which is equipped with anozzle adapted to remove dust, lint and like accumulations from the cui,pockets, and other inaccessible places of clothing and similar articles.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a machine for cleaning the cuffs of trousers and the like, asuction nozzle having side walls spaced apart and having upwardly andoutwardly projecting end walls cooperating with terminal edges of theside walls to form an elongated siot-like opening of less length thanthe spacing between the tackings of a cuif, and a plurality of spacedtriangular-shaped teeth projecting upwardly from the edges of the sidewalls and extending transversely of the slot-like opening, said teethhaving upwardly converging edge faces to closely engage in the foldcrease of the cuff, said outwardly projecting end walls forming portionsadapted to pass into the space between the tacking and fold crease ofthe cuff to present the teeth to the portions of the cui underlying thetackings.

2. In a machine for cleaning the cuffs of trousers and the like, asuction nozzle having spaced side walls terminating in arcuate edgefaces and having upwardly and outwardly projecting end walls cooperatingwith the arcuate edges of the side walls to form an elongated slotlikeopening, and a plurality of spaced teeth projecting above the arcuateedges of the side walls and extending transversely across the width ofsaid slot-like opening, said teeth being of triangular shape with theirapices arranged t0 engage the fold crease of a cui and said outwardlyprojecting end walls being adapted to pass into the space between thetacking and fold crease of the curi to present the apices of the endmostteeth to the portion of the fold crease under said tasking when the cuffis shifted back and forth across the nozzle in the direction of saidslot-like opening.

WILLIAM C. GLOVER, JR.

